For most of Sri Lanka's Test squad, Christmas may almost seem like déjà vu, having found themselves in a near-identical situation this time last year. Chasing their first ever win in South Africa, Sri Lanka had been defeated on a difficult surface in the first Test, though their demise on that occasion had been scripted on a Centurion greentop that derailed their first innings, unlike the fissured Hobart track that made survival difficult on the final day.

In Australia, Rodney Hogg had announced the visiting quicks "the worst new-ball attack" ever to arrive in the country, but in South Africa, Sri Lanka had suffered an even more injurious assessment, when Kepler Wessels claimed even South Africa's A side could defeat the visitors. On both occasions, Sri Lanka have largely been viewed as soft opposition against whom youngsters may be blooded and sides can be bedded down for more harrowing tests ahead.

But in the test starting on 2011's Boxing Day, Sri Lanka stunned their hosts on a dry surface in Durban to record as unexpected a victory as any in the year. A Thilan Samaraweera century and Chanaka Welegedara rampage in the first innings secured a 170-run first-innings lead, before 108 to Kumar Sangakkara and Rangana Herath's five-wicket haul delivered the 208-run win.

Sri Lanka's fifth-day fight at Bellerive Oval that had delayed Australia's victory until the final hour constituted a more meritorious showing than the innings-loss at the Centurion, and Sangakkara was hopeful that a lift in performance would be easier to achieve for this year's Boxing Day Test. The MCG surface is also expected to be more given to turn than the Hobart pitch.

"I think Durban is a great example of how we bounced back," Sangakkara said. "We went there knowing that that was a wicket that's more suited for our style of play. Centurion I don't think anyone has experienced in a long time the kind of wicket we got. Here again similar sort of scenario. Different sides of course, but the only different is that the conditions might not be as spin friendly as it was in Durban. But we have three to four fast bowlers who can do a job for us."

Sri Lanka are likely to field the same seam attack that played in the first Test, where the fast men were economical in patches, but lacked penetration until reverse swing arrived in earnest on the fourth day. Welegedara collected six of the eight wickets taken by Sri Lanka's seam bowlers, having found pace and rhythm in the second innings, which he had lacked in the first. Shaminda Eranga was also intermittently wayward, but delivered tight spells in patches, surpassing 140 kph regularly, while Nuwan Kulasekara was reliable but wicketless.

"With our bowling I think we have got to be we have to be more consistent and put pressure on batsmen. It doesn't matter that we can't bowl at 145 or 145. What matters is that we put the ball in the right areas. A good ball is a good ball for anyone. We have the skills to do that. On occasions like Boxing Day Test Matches it's important that we get everything together.

"That said we have three to four fast bowlers who can do the job for us. It's interesting to see how people step up. You need to look at our fast-bowling line-up and each one is different and each on has got the ability to go out there and take those wickets. If we go out there with a positive frame of mind knowing that we have done the hard work at training, it will be a good game."

Sangakkara also called for increased resolve from Sri Lanka's experienced top order, who had slipped to 87 for 4 in Hobart, before a strong partnership from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews revived the innings. The top order had also collectively had a poor series against New Zealand, in two Tests at home, though various players had passed fifty in different innings.

"It's great that we are playing a Boxing Day Test Match. It's important that we realise that it's a great occasion and also understand where we went wrong in the first Test. First innings is always important, especially when you are playing good sides. We really need to buckle down and put on a good enough total for our bowlers to be able to put pressure on the opposition from that position onwards."

I still remember the Preview by Siddarth Ravindran last year saying "Sri lanka need a Christmas Miracle". I felt so sorry for him after that test match. Don't under estimate Sri lanka. Should be a brilliant game at the MCG though, the wicket should suit Herath on the last 2 days.

Solace1
on December 24, 2012, 6:21 GMT

I forgot to add one more word in my previous comment, and that is 'the positive energy of my brother Sinhaya'

Solace1
on December 24, 2012, 4:27 GMT

Hope with the blessings of the crowd and the 'umpires' we can win this test!!

Sinhaya
on December 24, 2012, 1:18 GMT

@Rise-of-Sinhaya, are you being sarcastic? I was trying to be realistic. You know very well that our test record is the worse against Australia. I hope we can with both the 2nd and the 3rd test as that is my dream. But it is gonna be extremely arduous due to our mediocre bowling attack. Our hope should be to bat first and bat well and depend on scoreboard pressure.

szaranger
on December 23, 2012, 23:12 GMT

Kulasekara won't be like Praveen Kumar in England, with slow pace and swing. So he needs to be dropped and an aggresive fast bowler needs to come in if SL is probing a victory in MCG. And Mahela also should change is defensive tactics and be more attacking to pile any pressure on the Australians.

Independencechoice1
on December 23, 2012, 16:48 GMT

Please have more aggression with either Pradeep or Prasad than Kulasekara .SL team went to Australia in search of the first test win in Oz soil.To win a test match you need to take opposite 20 wkts,and for that you want more and more strike bowlers.Without Kulasekara there is a big probability that we might lose.But better try for the victory though we might lose than trying to save the skin.

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 16:32 GMT

srilanka can do like how they did in sa to level the series 1-1 then other side no clarke cricinfo says it my be give srilanka to come back storng and keep the series alive 1-1

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 12:02 GMT

A Sri Lankan cricket writer presently in Melbourne says that Lasith Malinga may come out from retirement and play in a test match against Australia in Melbourne or Sydney to strengthen the S.L bowling attack. I wonder whether he plays for his own country giving up Big Bash League matches which are more important to him than country

Return-of-Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:35 GMT

@Sinhaya: See, you have clearly said we can only minimize the likelihood of losing, so we try in the first place? Better lose both the tests in two days time and practice hard for the t20's, who knows, we can go one step further and win the title in 2014 in bangladesh, preparations should start from now

Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:11 GMT

Oops, a correction to my earlier post. We played SA in Cape Town in January this year soon after we won the Durban test last year. We have all to play for. I suggest we must play Nuwan Pradeep for the MCG test instead of Kulasekara.

Perera32
on December 24, 2012, 10:15 GMT

I still remember the Preview by Siddarth Ravindran last year saying "Sri lanka need a Christmas Miracle". I felt so sorry for him after that test match. Don't under estimate Sri lanka. Should be a brilliant game at the MCG though, the wicket should suit Herath on the last 2 days.

Solace1
on December 24, 2012, 6:21 GMT

I forgot to add one more word in my previous comment, and that is 'the positive energy of my brother Sinhaya'

Solace1
on December 24, 2012, 4:27 GMT

Hope with the blessings of the crowd and the 'umpires' we can win this test!!

Sinhaya
on December 24, 2012, 1:18 GMT

@Rise-of-Sinhaya, are you being sarcastic? I was trying to be realistic. You know very well that our test record is the worse against Australia. I hope we can with both the 2nd and the 3rd test as that is my dream. But it is gonna be extremely arduous due to our mediocre bowling attack. Our hope should be to bat first and bat well and depend on scoreboard pressure.

szaranger
on December 23, 2012, 23:12 GMT

Kulasekara won't be like Praveen Kumar in England, with slow pace and swing. So he needs to be dropped and an aggresive fast bowler needs to come in if SL is probing a victory in MCG. And Mahela also should change is defensive tactics and be more attacking to pile any pressure on the Australians.

Independencechoice1
on December 23, 2012, 16:48 GMT

Please have more aggression with either Pradeep or Prasad than Kulasekara .SL team went to Australia in search of the first test win in Oz soil.To win a test match you need to take opposite 20 wkts,and for that you want more and more strike bowlers.Without Kulasekara there is a big probability that we might lose.But better try for the victory though we might lose than trying to save the skin.

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 16:32 GMT

srilanka can do like how they did in sa to level the series 1-1 then other side no clarke cricinfo says it my be give srilanka to come back storng and keep the series alive 1-1

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 12:02 GMT

A Sri Lankan cricket writer presently in Melbourne says that Lasith Malinga may come out from retirement and play in a test match against Australia in Melbourne or Sydney to strengthen the S.L bowling attack. I wonder whether he plays for his own country giving up Big Bash League matches which are more important to him than country

Return-of-Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:35 GMT

@Sinhaya: See, you have clearly said we can only minimize the likelihood of losing, so we try in the first place? Better lose both the tests in two days time and practice hard for the t20's, who knows, we can go one step further and win the title in 2014 in bangladesh, preparations should start from now

Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:11 GMT

Oops, a correction to my earlier post. We played SA in Cape Town in January this year soon after we won the Durban test last year. We have all to play for. I suggest we must play Nuwan Pradeep for the MCG test instead of Kulasekara.

Felix1025
on December 23, 2012, 10:01 GMT

Worth taking a risk to drop Kule and play either Nuwan Pradeep or Prasad. Mahela, pls call Vaas and get some advice for your budding fast bowlers. Eranga and Prasad or Nuwan will do better than Kule

Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 8:53 GMT

Well we had very little crowd support in Durban last year, but a perfect pitch for our style. Now here at the MCG, it is exactly the opposite. Well, if we win the toss, please bat first and target 400 plus. Dont make the mistake which we made in Cape Town last year. It was such a good batting pitch and we put the Saffers in and they piled up 500 plus. At least 400 batting first means we can minimize the likelihood of us losing although that does not guarantee us a win.

No featured comments at the moment.

Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 8:53 GMT

Well we had very little crowd support in Durban last year, but a perfect pitch for our style. Now here at the MCG, it is exactly the opposite. Well, if we win the toss, please bat first and target 400 plus. Dont make the mistake which we made in Cape Town last year. It was such a good batting pitch and we put the Saffers in and they piled up 500 plus. At least 400 batting first means we can minimize the likelihood of us losing although that does not guarantee us a win.

Felix1025
on December 23, 2012, 10:01 GMT

Worth taking a risk to drop Kule and play either Nuwan Pradeep or Prasad. Mahela, pls call Vaas and get some advice for your budding fast bowlers. Eranga and Prasad or Nuwan will do better than Kule

Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:11 GMT

Oops, a correction to my earlier post. We played SA in Cape Town in January this year soon after we won the Durban test last year. We have all to play for. I suggest we must play Nuwan Pradeep for the MCG test instead of Kulasekara.

Return-of-Sinhaya
on December 23, 2012, 11:35 GMT

@Sinhaya: See, you have clearly said we can only minimize the likelihood of losing, so we try in the first place? Better lose both the tests in two days time and practice hard for the t20's, who knows, we can go one step further and win the title in 2014 in bangladesh, preparations should start from now

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 12:02 GMT

A Sri Lankan cricket writer presently in Melbourne says that Lasith Malinga may come out from retirement and play in a test match against Australia in Melbourne or Sydney to strengthen the S.L bowling attack. I wonder whether he plays for his own country giving up Big Bash League matches which are more important to him than country

dummy4fb
on December 23, 2012, 16:32 GMT

srilanka can do like how they did in sa to level the series 1-1 then other side no clarke cricinfo says it my be give srilanka to come back storng and keep the series alive 1-1

Independencechoice1
on December 23, 2012, 16:48 GMT

Please have more aggression with either Pradeep or Prasad than Kulasekara .SL team went to Australia in search of the first test win in Oz soil.To win a test match you need to take opposite 20 wkts,and for that you want more and more strike bowlers.Without Kulasekara there is a big probability that we might lose.But better try for the victory though we might lose than trying to save the skin.

szaranger
on December 23, 2012, 23:12 GMT

Kulasekara won't be like Praveen Kumar in England, with slow pace and swing. So he needs to be dropped and an aggresive fast bowler needs to come in if SL is probing a victory in MCG. And Mahela also should change is defensive tactics and be more attacking to pile any pressure on the Australians.

Sinhaya
on December 24, 2012, 1:18 GMT

@Rise-of-Sinhaya, are you being sarcastic? I was trying to be realistic. You know very well that our test record is the worse against Australia. I hope we can with both the 2nd and the 3rd test as that is my dream. But it is gonna be extremely arduous due to our mediocre bowling attack. Our hope should be to bat first and bat well and depend on scoreboard pressure.

Solace1
on December 24, 2012, 4:27 GMT

Hope with the blessings of the crowd and the 'umpires' we can win this test!!